Series: When Jesus Comes To Your Town [#7]
JESUS, IN YOUR OPINION
Mark 15:1-15; John 18:33-40
Introduction:
[Have a suit and tie on with a pull-over shirt underneath.]
Ask these questions and do whatever it says while asking:
1. In your opinion, do you think I look better in this suit with the tie or without the tie on?
2. In your opinion, do you think I look better with my jacket on or off?
3. In your opinion, do you think I look better in this dress shirt or this pull-over shirt?
[Have a black piece of paper and a white piece of paper.]
Ask these questions:
1. In your opinion, what color is this piece of paper? (Hold up the white piece of paper when asking.)
2. In your opinion, what color is this piece of paper? (Hold up the black piece of paper when asking.)
I want you to notice that the 1st set of questions were questions that we could disagree upon. Some of you would rather me be in a full suit and others of you would rather me dress a little more casually. The truth is, it doesn’t really matter.
The 2nd set of questions were questions, that regardless of your opinion, were absolutes. Those 2 pieces of paper are black and white. Even if your opinion is this white piece of paper is green, it is still white. Your opinion will not change the truth; it will just make you wrong.
In 1 Kings we find the prophet Elijah dealing with a nation of people who was supposed to belong to God; but was following other gods. On Mount Carmel, Elijah asked a question that I want us to consider this morning. “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” It also says this, “But the people said nothing.”
Mark 15:1-15
There is 2 very important points that you need to catch:
Absolutes
As I said in the introduction, there are things that are absolute. Regardless what people may think, these absolutes are absolutes. In our text is found 3 absolutes:
Absolute #1: Jesus is King!
Whether Pilate liked it or not, Jesus was King. Pilate could only see competition. Regardless of what the world tells us, Jesus is King.
John 18:33-38
Absolute #2: Jesus’ Kingdom is not here.
The Kingdom of God is not here on this earth. The Kingdom of God is nothing like this world we live in. Regardless of what the world says concerning there being a Heaven and a Hell, there is a Heaven and a Hell.
Absolute #3: Jesus is the Truth, the Way, and the Life.
There is no way into the Kingdom of God except through Jesus. Regardless of what the world says, there is only 1 way to salvation. That way is Jesus Christ.
Alternatives
There are things that are absolutes, but there is also choices that we must make. God places before us choices and you have the freewill to choose.
Alternative #1: Will you release Jesus or keep Him bound up?
Jesus was brought to Pilate bound up. Pilate had to make a decision whether he was going to let Jesus go or if he was going to keep Him bound up.
Notice that Jesus did not try to escape. Christians when we put Jesus in a box and limit what He can do in your life, you have bound Jesus. When you don’t have faith to trust all of your problems to Jesus, you have bound Him. When you don’t have faith to trust Him with all of your money, your family, your job, your health, etc…; you have bound Jesus.
If you want to see your life turn around, you must release Jesus. Let Him do something in your life.
Why have you not released Him? For some of you, it is because you are listening to everyone around you instead of God. For others, it is because you would rather not be bothered. For others, it is because you can’t wallow in self-pity if you don’t have a problem.
Alternative #2: If you are not going to release Him, then what are you going to do with Jesus?
Since the popular vote was to keep Jesus in custody, Pilate wanted to know what he should do with Jesus. Let me ask you the same thing, “If you are not going to release Jesus to work in your life, then what are you going to do with Him”?
We treat Jesus like a “Jack-in-the-Box”. We crank the handle around when we need something from Him so that He can pop out of the box that we have placed Him in and solve our problem; and when our problem is solved, we put Him back in the box.
We don’t control God like He is some dog on a leash. We are not in control of Him. The very God who created us and gave us all that we have can take it all away. Don’t think for one moment that God is dependent upon you to fulfill His plan. If you are not willing to release the power of Jesus into your life and let Him lead you; then God will use someone else to fulfill His plan.
Alternative #3: Will you let Jesus lead or do you want to get rid of Him?
Some of you right now are mad at me because I insinuated that there are some of you who want to get rid of Jesus. Well then get mad because the truth hurts. See what we want is a uncontested ticket to Heaven without any sign of change in our life. When a person is saved they go from being dead to being alive. You can tell the difference between a dead person and a living person.
We want Heaven; but we don’t want anything to do with denying yourself, taking up your cross daily, and following Him. We try to walk the fence. We want it both ways. We want to go to Heaven someday but live like the devil now.
Do you remember what Jesus said about this type of living?
Revelation 3:14-22
Conclusion:
Invitation to the lost:
I know that Jesus is the King of kings; but is He your King? If Jesus is not your King, then Satan is. If you are here without Christ as your Savior, I want you to know that you will bow before Jesus as King either now on this earth as you surrender your life to Him or you will bow before Him as King as you are judged for all of your sins and then cast into the Lake of Fire.
Philippians 2:9-11
Invitation to the saved:
For those of you who claim Jesus as your King, do you have Him bound up by your lack of faith, your unconfessed sin, your bitter and hardened hearts, your disobedience, etc…? Today you need to release Jesus. Let Him do what He does best: Lead! He is the King, not you! He is the Great Shepherd, not you! He is the Savior of the world, not you!
Christians, how long are you going to waver between two opinions? If Jesus is King follow Him, if whatever else you have made king is king, then follow it.
